1
: the action of one that binds
2
: a material or device used to bind: such as
a
: the cover and materials that hold a book together
b
: a narrow fabric used to finish raw edges
c
: a device that holds a boot firmly to a ski or snowboard
Examples of binding in a Sentence
Noun
a carpet edged with canvas binding
The bindings have started to come loose.
Adjective
The contract is legally binding.
The parties agreed to settle the dispute through binding arbitration.
Recent Examples on the Web
Nathan Borchelt, Travel + Leisure, 30 Nov. 2023
The 12-month calendar features black spiral binding and a loop for easy hanging.
—Jamie Weissman, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Nov. 2023
But the quality of the bindings, paper and printing vary wildly from service to service.
—Valerie Walsh, wsj.com, 1 Nov. 2023
Police discovered Mooney wedged inside the refrigerator with blood beneath her body; her wrists and ankles were bound and the bindings were tied behind her back with electrical cords and clothing.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2023
The letter, which is the only documentation of Columbus’s first travels to the Americas, was stored in a binding that was created in the 18th or 19th century, Ford said.
—Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 4 Oct. 2023
Then, the owner would retrieve it from storage (often an ornate cabinet), place it on a table, and, with some sense of ceremony, carefully untie the cords and brocade silk bindings to begin unfurling it.
—WIRED, 19 Sep. 2023
Keep in Mind The thread-stitch binding could be fragile.
—Barbara Bellesi Zito, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2023
One pair of skis will get NTN Freedom bindings from Scarpa (or Rottefella, which Scarpa owns) and the other will get Outlaw X bindings from 22 Designs.
—Jakob Schiller, Outside Online, 2 Mar. 2023
Eric Lipton, New York Times, 21 Nov. 2023
By contrast, ‘supranational’ institutions exist apart from individual nation-states, with powerful secretariats and binding rules.
—Martin Daunton, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2023
Resolutions made by the Security Council are technically binding, though they are not always followed.
—Kelsey Ables, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
Any similar future deals that U.S. and Israeli leaders pursue must squarely address the problems Palestinians face, incorporating binding, continuous, and benchmarked processes for Israeli disengagement from the West Bank and for the rehabilitation of Gaza.
—Ami Ayalon, Foreign Affairs, 31 Oct. 2023
Some argue that the executive order is not legally binding, and it can be changed or revoked by future presidents.
—Kurt Knutsson, Fox News, 2 Nov. 2023
The decisions of the Judges will be final and binding.
—CNN, 25 Oct. 2023
President Joe Biden in July secured voluntary commitments to share information from AI companies including Google, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI, but the new order is legally binding.
—Rachyl Jones, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2023
On Sunday, its people will decide in a binding referendum that landed on the ballot after a decadelong fight by young activists.
—Catrin Einhorn, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2023
See More
Noun
And that’s without buying the bindings (though some retailers do offer a ski-binding combo to help shave off a few dollars).
—Nathan Borchelt, Travel + Leisure, 30 Nov. 2023
The 12-month calendar features black spiral binding and a loop for easy hanging.
—Jamie Weissman, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Nov. 2023
But the quality of the bindings, paper and printing vary wildly from service to service.
—Valerie Walsh, wsj.com, 1 Nov. 2023
Police discovered Mooney wedged inside the refrigerator with blood beneath her body; her wrists and ankles were bound and the bindings were tied behind her back with electrical cords and clothing.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2023
The letter, which is the only documentation of Columbus’s first travels to the Americas, was stored in a binding that was created in the 18th or 19th century, Ford said.
—Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 4 Oct. 2023
Then, the owner would retrieve it from storage (often an ornate cabinet), place it on a table, and, with some sense of ceremony, carefully untie the cords and brocade silk bindings to begin unfurling it.
—WIRED, 19 Sep. 2023
Keep in Mind The thread-stitch binding could be fragile.
—Barbara Bellesi Zito, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2023
One pair of skis will get NTN Freedom bindings from Scarpa (or Rottefella, which Scarpa owns) and the other will get Outlaw X bindings from 22 Designs.
—Jakob Schiller, Outside Online, 2 Mar. 2023
Adjective
The result has been to tie the debate up in a procedural knot with little chance of progress on a legally binding mandate anytime soon.
—Eric Lipton, New York Times, 21 Nov. 2023
By contrast, ‘supranational’ institutions exist apart from individual nation-states, with powerful secretariats and binding rules.
—Martin Daunton, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2023
Resolutions made by the Security Council are technically binding, though they are not always followed.
—Kelsey Ables, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
Any similar future deals that U.S. and Israeli leaders pursue must squarely address the problems Palestinians face, incorporating binding, continuous, and benchmarked processes for Israeli disengagement from the West Bank and for the rehabilitation of Gaza.
—Ami Ayalon, Foreign Affairs, 31 Oct. 2023
Some argue that the executive order is not legally binding, and it can be changed or revoked by future presidents.
—Kurt Knutsson, Fox News, 2 Nov. 2023
The decisions of the Judges will be final and binding.
—CNN, 25 Oct. 2023
President Joe Biden in July secured voluntary commitments to share information from AI companies including Google, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI, but the new order is legally binding.
—Rachyl Jones, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2023
On Sunday, its people will decide in a binding referendum that landed on the ballot after a decadelong fight by young activists.
—Catrin Einhorn, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'binding.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing binding
Dictionary Entries Near binding
Cite this Entry
“Binding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/binding. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
binding
noun
bind·ing
ˈbīn-diŋ
1
: the cover and fastenings of a book
2
: a narrow strip of fabric used along the edge of an article of clothing
Legal Definition
binding
adjective1
: imposing a legal obligation
the agreement is binding on the parties
2
: requiring submission to a specified authority
the suppression order was binding on the Department of Transportation—National Law Journal
National Law Journal
More from Merriam-Webster on binding
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for binding
Nglish: Translation of binding for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of binding for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about binding
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